The Only Hope
by InfiniteHorizons
Summary: The Doctor, now on his seventeenth regeneration, is sent back to the Battle of Canary Wharf by the TARDIS. He saves Rose from being thrown into the other universe and tells the tenth Doctor that he must change the future. The Doctor and Rose must figure out how to change the future from the world that the seventeenth Doctor comes from.
1. Prologue: Empty

**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who.**

**A/N: Welcome to the prologue of The Only Hope! I've had this idea for a while now and I already have some chapters written so I decided to post it while I finish writing chapters for While You Were Gone and Counting the Days. I hope you like this. This is a different approach to the Doctor and Rose. After S2 it is completely AU.**

**Enjoy!**

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The Doctor was sitting on the edge of the known universe. Not talking, not moving, just thinking. Thinking about all the lives he had lived. This is the 17th regeneration and the pain still hasn't faded. He loved her. He still loves her. Why did he ever leave her? Why didn't he take her when he had the chance. He could have just left that imposter of a doctor. At this moment in time he has never felt so alone, so empty.

_I could always- no that could destroy the universe. _

_But maybe if I just- no still too risky. _

He had just recently regenerated and he barely knows who he is.

_I don't want to go sticking ideas in my head when I don't how this man will react. _

_Still it's always worth a try._

_I really need to stop having these mind chats. They clearly aren't helping._

His thoughts were interrupted when he thought he heard a noise from behind.

_Doctor._ The voice whispered. _Doctor. _The voice continued to raise its volume. The Doctor turned his back to the dead space he was previously looking at. He walked back towards the console of the TARDIS. When he reached the main controls the doors slammed shut. The unforgettable wheezing sound of the TARDIS began. He was being transported, but where? After a few minutes the TARDIS had landed. The TARDIS teleported him outside the Canary Wharf. He turned to enter back into the TARDIS but it wouldn't let him. He looked at the streets and skies and new exactly what day this was. This was the day he lost the love of his lives, this was the day he lost Rose. The Doctor ran into the building and up the stairs. He watched from afar as the old Doctor and Rose prepared to open the void. The Daleks and Cybermen alike were sucked into the deep pit of nothingness. Each second he was prepared to see Rose be lost again. He couldn't bear the thought of losing her again. The pull into the void for him was not strong considering he was newly regenerated. New body means new void residue. This gives him the golden opportunity of saving her. Her fingers began slipping. He recalled the memory in agony. He held his breath as he sprinted to save Rose. Her fingers slipped from the lever. The new Doctor jumped and grabbed her. He landed on the ground with a thump. Luckily she was in his arms screaming and not in the void. He looked up and saw exactly what he expected. Standing in front of him was Pete trying to catch his daughter.

"Not today." The new Doctor said delighted. He jumped up and pushed the big yellow button that Pete held. Within seconds nothing stood there. The entrance to the void was closed and Rose was safe. He looked down at her as a tear went down his cheek. He held out his hand for her to take. She looked back up at him. She looked confused and afraid. "What, do I look that bad? I mean I haven't exactly had the time to look in a mirror-"

Rose cut the new Doctor off before he could finish. "Thank you." She took his hand as he helped her up.

The tenth Doctor came up to them.

He cleared his throat. "I'm the Doctor and this is Rose Tyler. Who would you be?" He held out his hand.

"I'm-" The new Doctor froze not knowing what to say.

The tenth Doctor looked at him for a second for a reply. He turned to Rose and hugged her. "I'm so glad you're okay, I thought I was going to lose you." He whispered in her ear. After a short embrace, the tenth Doctor turned to face the man. "What's happening to your face?" The old Doctor said.

The new Doctor held a hand up to his face to feel it. He was fading away. The realization finally struck the old Doctor.

"You're me aren't you?" He asked.

The new Doctor nodded.

"You came back and changed the future." The tenth Doctor was stating more than he was asking.

"If I didn't you'd lose Rose. Trust me, you don't want that to happen." The new Doctor said.

"I'm thankful you did but I have a few questions. First off, do I really look like THAT? Second, are you my next regeneration? And third do you realize what you've done?" The tenth Doctor spat out the last question.

"Do I look that bad?" The new Doctor put a hand to his face as if to reassure himself. "No, I'm not your next generation, I'm your seventeenth including the Doctor I know you'd like to forget. And yes, I've realized what I've done. I've changed the future, but there were some things that needed changing." The new Doctor replied.

"Yeah, I mean there isn't anything terrible about you. A lot better than some of them, but seriously you're wearing plaid. Is that even a thing anymore?" The tenth Doctor started. "Come on, seventeen regenerations isn't even possible. And what could possibly need changing?"

The new Doctor's life began fading even faster. His dark green eyes and jet black hair was replaced with the fiery light that engulfed him. "Change the future or there won't be a future to change," he yelled before fading away completely. Within seconds he was gone. The room was just now the tenth Doctor and Rose.

"What'd he mean by that Doctor?" Rose asked.

"I don't know." He replied grimly before looking at Rose. "Ah, I'm sure it was nothing too serious."

Rose looked up at him with a small smile. He held out her hand for her to accept. She quickly intertwined their fingers before they began walking to the TARDIS. Rose was closing her eyes and giving a small, silent apology to each of the dead. The Doctor made sure to look at each of the dead. He didn't do this because he wanted to see them but because they deserved better. This made him more confident in what happened to the Cybermen and Daleks. Neither spoke once they entered the TARDIS. Rose sat on the pilot's seat while the Doctor got them into the time vortex.

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**A/N: So, what do you think? I tried to show that Seventeen was a little impulsive but also a little crazy. The idea is that Seventeen came from a time that the world was no longer free. The TARDIS was trying to fix it by sending him back to the day the world changed. After Doomsday the whole thing changes. I will also explain how the Doctor got more than thirteen regenerations later, since it didn't happen the same way it did in the show. Thanks for reading! New chapter will be up either tonight or tomorrow depending on if I post for my other stories.**


	2. Chapter 1: An Adventure Begins

**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who.**

**A/N: This is the first chapter! I am adding this first chapter in order for you to get comfortable with the writing and the way things will happen. The plot will begin to form in the next few chapters. This first chapter was more of just showing you what it will be like. Rose's dress is on my profile for those that would like to see it.**

**Enjoy!**

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Rose was already upset about leaving her family just moments after they made it back into the TARDIS. The Doctor tried like hell to comfort her. He knew what it was like to lose family so he just gave her some time to herself in her room. He was in the console room of the TARDIS pacing. He was mad at himself for making Rose choose between him and her family. Not to mention his future self changing everything. He sat thinking about his future self and what he did when Rose came up to him. She had a look in her eyes that made him want to hold her and tell her everything was going to be alright.

"Can we leave here Doctor?" She asked through breaths and sniffles.

He held her close while she cried into his chest. "Of course, wherever and whenever you want."

"Anywhere to get me away from here." She said.

The Doctor nodded, letting her cry against him for another minute. He brought her to the pilot chair and sat her down. He began clicking random buttons on the console of the TARDIS. Within seconds they were blasting through the time vortex into some unknown place and time. They had been in flight a few minutes before landing. He helped her up and took his hand in hers.

"Where are we? When are we?" Rose asked.

"That's the fun of it, I have no idea." He smiled and looked down at her.

She smiled looking back up at him with a smile that made him want to melt. He walked to the doors of the TARDIS. "Welcome to anywhere!" He said mimicking what she asked for earlier.

He scanned my eyes outside of the TARDIS. "Damn we have to change." He said to Rose.

"Why?" She asked in a childish tone.

"It's 1779, the middle of the American Revolution. It's going to be strange seeing it from this side." The Doctor added.

"Right, well I'll go change." He nodded and made no move to follow her to the wardrobe.

_I look ridiculous, _Rose thought to herself.

She was wearing a long, light dress with flowers embroidered along the front. There was a large white bow in the middle of the square cut chest. She looked down at the jewelry that the TARDIS provided. She pulled out a thick, silver choker necklace with a large amber stone in the middle and smaller stones following to the back of her neck. She then put on amber stud earrings.

_How did women ever even move?_

She put on a layer of black mascara followed by dark red lipstick and golden eye shadow. After, she put my hair into ringlets as quickly as she could. She twisted the back of her hair up into a curly bun. She left a few ringlets to curl around her face. She walked out into the console room to find the Doctor. He was staring at the control panel of the TARDIS in a distant world with just his thoughts.

"Doctor?"

The Doctor instantly snapped out of his thoughts. He looked over to Rose only to have his breath taken away from him. He gaped at her for a moment before realizing that he should say something.

"You look-" The Doctor paused. "Beautiful."

Rose blushed a little. "You mean for a human?" She teased him and gave him a tongue touched smile.

"Or for any species." He whispered to himself thinking Rose hadn't heard. She smiled. "You ready to go?" He asked.

She nodded her head.

"Then we shall." He answered as he linked his arm with hers.

They were barely out the door when he started on his long rambling of historical facts. Rose wasn't paying much attention but she heard a few comments about "Intolerable acts", "British Empire", "King George III", and "The Boston Tea Party". They walked the streets of London before stopping in front of a large, ornate building.

"Where is this?" Rose asked. He smiled at her.

"There is a ball here tonight, I thought we should go." Rose only nodded. Her eyes were fixed on the beautiful building in front of them. The Doctor led them to the gate.

"Invitation." The guard said. The Doctor flashed his physic paper. The guard nodded. As the Doctor and Rose walked into the brightly light ballroom a man above them called out.

"Dame Rose Tyler of the Powell Estates and Sir Doctor of TARDIS." Rose giggled at that as she thought of the time they were knighted. The Doctor gave her a knowing smirk.

"We haven't been knighted yet." Rose stated. The Doctor let out a small laugh.

"I know." He said, clearly amused. They walked around and talked to a few people before a man approached Rose. He was tall with dark hair and green eyes. Rose would be lying if she said he wasn't attractive. He asked Rose to dance. Rose happily accepted. The Doctor watched as Rose danced with two more men afterwards. He didn't want to admit to his jealousy. A short woman approached him and asked for a dance. He refused, never taking his eyes off Rose. He wanted more than anything to go and take her in his arms. He couldn't, wouldn't, do that to her. She deserved so much more than him. A scream broke him out of his reverie.

"Help! Somebody help! They've killed him!" A woman came in screaming. Rose and the Doctor eyed each other across the room before they both ran to the woman.

"Who've they killed?" Rose asked.

"My husband. He's dead." The woman began to weep madly. Rose patted her back in affection and sympathy. Rose looked up at the Doctor.

"Looks like another mystery." Rose said. The Doctor nodded before grabbing her hand and running off toward where the woman came from. When they saw the man they dropped down and immediately began to investigate his wounds. Blood was seeping out from under him. People began to crowd around where he was. The women were gasping and screaming. Rose had to suppress the urge not to roll her eyes at them. "This is awful." She said to the Doctor. He nodded his agreement. The man had trauma to his head but he died of blood loss. He was bleeding out of several puncture in his arms and chest. It looked as if something tried to eat him.

"I think we are dealing with more than just a killer." Rose understood exactly what he was meaning.

"Anything you can think of that could have done this?" The Doctor shook his head.

"Can't tell yet." He pulled out his sonic and began scanning. The amount of carbon residue reduced the list to 500 different possibilities. Of those 500 only 28 would have nitrogen levels reading this high. Of those 28 only two would be a carnivore. Of those two only one would kill like this. "Bingo." The Doctor said. He made a face. "Remind me never to say that again." Rose laughed. "Allons-y!" He grabbed Rose's hand and dragged her back to the ballroom. There the woman was still in a fit of tears. Rose put her hand on the woman's shoulder. There was a growling. Rose looked to the Doctor. He shrugged his arms. "It's a grahir. They come from the planet Grodador. They feed off of emotion. The higher emotional state somebody is in, the more likely they are to be attacked." The Doctor turned his attention to the woman weeping as to make a point. Rose looked up.

"Doctor, look out!" She yelled. The Doctor ducked just in time to dodge it's large claw. The alien was tall and red with two large claws and one black eye. It let out another growl. This time it aimed it's pounce on the lady crying over her dead husband. Rose pushed her out of the way in just enough time to dodge it. Rose tried to get it's attention off of the woman. She thought of all of the past days. Of her frustration over loving the Doctor, of her sadness for her family gone, of her anger for the Daleks, and most importantly of her hatred for not being able to fix everything. The grahir turned it's gaze on Rose. It pounced on her, pinning her to the ground. She dodged the first claw and caught the second. She pushed as hard as she could. The claw snapped and the beast whimpered. Rose look at it apologetically. It tilted it's head to the side in confusion. Rose looked to the Doctor.

"I think we should take it home." Rose said simply. The Doctor watched in amazement as it walked up to Rose. It gave her a silent apology. The Doctor coughed.

"Right, let's go." He took Rose's hand and led her out of the ballroom, back to the TARDIS. Once they were all inside they brought the grahir to Grodador. It thanked her. She gave it a small smile, then turned back into the TARDIS. Once it was just her and the Doctor, Rose spoke again.

"I've been thinking. About what you said. Or future you. You know, about saving the world. I think maybe he means doing things like this, small things. Not killing but preserving." She said with a distant smile. The Doctor nodded not telling her that he thinks that he meant so much more. In fact, he knows he does. He wouldn't change the future if it was something small. Rose turned and started to head down the corridor.

"Where are you going?" The Doctor called after her.

"I'm tired." Rose looked back. "And I want to get out of this stuffy dress."

"Where's the fun in that?" He looked a little upset that Rose was leaving.

"Sorry, Doctor. No superior biology over here." She teased.

He grinned back at her. "Goodnight, Rose. Sleep well."

"You too, Doctor." She said over her shoulder. She walked down the different halls of the TARDIS. She sat in her room a while just thinking about her family. She had made this choice. She doesn't regret it at all, it's just she wasn't expecting to be so upset about her choice. The TARDIS let a wave of sorrow wash over her before a wave of encouragement. "Thanks, old girl." Rose smiled as she patted the wall. The TARDIS responded with another wave of happiness wash over her. Rose washed up and returned to her bed in an orange tank top and a pair of soft, black shorts. She laid awake for a while and thought about her parents. She wondered if they were thinking about her. After a few hours of lying awake the TARDIS began to let a melody sing to her. It was a soft soothing song. She slowly fell asleep with a sad smile on her face.

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**A/N: I know, it probably wasn't what you were expecting. In my defense, I did warn you. I wanted to set the scene before I started to introduce the plot. The next chapter will be more about the actual story. Sorry for this chapter. Thanks for reading! A new chapter will probably be out tomorrow unless I decide to post one tonight. We'll see. Thanks!**


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